Former Hertfordshire nursery worker sentenced to four years after admitting child sex offences
Zara Lancashire, 20, appeared at St Albans Crown Court
Last updated 5th Mar 2026
A former worker at a nursery in Hertfordshire has been jailed for four years after admitting multiple child sex offences.
Zara Lancashire, 20 and of Hemel Hempstead, pleaded guilty to a string of crimes at a hearing in December 2025.
On Thursday 5 March at St Albans Crown Court, she was sentenced for:
- Four counts of distributing indecent images of a child
- Three counts of making indecent images of a child
- Four counts of publishing an obscene article via a chat application
Lancashire had been working at Flower Pots Day Nursery on Hempstead Road, Kings Langley, at the time of the offences.
She was suspended after being arrested in September 2025, when Hertfordshire Police investigated evidence she was making and distributing indecent images of children.
Detective Inspector Fay Tooley, from the force's Public Protection Command, said: “While our investigation found Lancashire's crimes they didn’t involve the physical abuse of children, they are still of an extremely serious nature.”
“I want to reassure the public, and parents of children at the nursery, that following a thorough investigation by our detectives, no evidence was found relating to any child who attended Flower Day Pots Nursery.
“All of the offences linked to Lancashire were committed online.
"I want to express my appreciation for the nursery, the parents, and guardians who displayed patience and cooperation throughout what was, understandably, a very difficult period.”